Truth to Tell
by RonWeasleyFanatic
Summary: During his summer break after his 4th year at Hogwarts, Ron and the other Weasley's take in two American Transfer Students. During this time many friendships blossom - and some suspect that one relation is more than friendship..


notice: I've only got up to a bit of chapter four. Also, this is my first time posting a fanfic here, so, yeah. I hope this sounds ok. :)  
  
Chapter One: A Welcoming  
  
Ron's eyelids heavied themselves as he lay his head against his new, fluffy pillow. With those recent Galleons that Harry had graciously given to Fred and George, Ron was feeling quite luxurious with a new set of the Chudley Cannon's pillow and bedspread set. Laying down comfortably now, Ron stared up at his ceiling. In the corner, he could see that one of the edges of the Cannon's Quidditch team was peeling rapidly, showing some of the stained white paint behind it. Quickly, Ron's brown eyes darted elsewhere. This time, it was to his open window. Below it was the tank that once held frog spawn. It was humming softly, and for a moment, Ron watched miniscule bubbles float up and down in it. The tank's actual contents was just one small frog, which was currently floating lazily atop the scummy water. Looking away with an internal sigh, Ron this time closed his eyes, as he rolled over onto his side. For a moment or two, he occupied himself with trying to fix his pajama pantleg. Though he had been fortunate enough to recieve a new bedset and such, new pajamas were not part of his new things. Indeed, Ron had owned this particular pair since his second year at Hogwarts. The bottoms were like highwaters; not only were they unattractive in the eyes of others, but quite uncomfortable. They tended to get rolled up and stay that way.  
  
Miffed by this, Ron kicked his feet once or twice, still not relieved of the stupid short pajama pants. Giving up, Ron sighed out loud, and opened one of his eyes. From his window, he could see a silvery Crescent Moon peeking at him, along with several of it's golden-star friends. Alas, it was a wonderful night outside.. Not a bit of wind. Speaking of which, this was perfect weather for sending a late-night owl. Sitting up, Ron shook his head, ridding of any night time dizziness. Once he was fully awake, Ron stumbled out of his bed, slipped on a pair of his shabby old scarlet slippers, and he trudged his way over to Pigwidgeon's cage. The bent-up, metal cage was covered with his old pair of dress robes, which were still frayed and nasty looking on the ends. Momentarily, Ron made a face at this, and then he tugged the girlish robes off the cage. Immediatley, Pig was allerted of Ron's presence, and the miniscule post owl couldn't contain his excitement; he let out a shrill hoot, which echoed throughout Ron's room. Frantically, Ron waved his hands at Pig, which only seemed to make his owl only more excited. Now Pig was bouncing up and down on his wooden perch, seeming to think that Ron was making a rare attempt at playing a game with him. Up above on the next floor - the attic - the family ghoul began to pound on the pipes, which only added to the noise which already came from Pig. Luckily, this spooked both Ron and Pig, and they stopped abrubtly. But this un-intended interuption did not wipe off the glare on Ron's face.  
  
"Pig, you idiot, this isn't a time to play!" Ron's voice hissed, while Pig bussied himself trying to crack a nutshell. Rolling his eyes slightly, Ron flopped down into a chair. Absently, he reached a hand to his desk. From it, he pulled a muggle-style fountain pen, which he had recieved from his dad. He also grabbed a piece of parchment. With a pensive look, he stared down at the parchment for a minute or so. He then began to write, with his usual sloppy handwriting. You couldn't blame him, though. With Mrs. Weasley constantly busy with all the kids, and Mr. Weasley tied up with the Ministry of Magic, Ron's parents didn't exactly have a lot of free time to help him perfect his odd writing style.  
  
"Dear Harry," Ron began, stopping to think once more. "What's up with you? I'm alright here. It's fairly late, though." He continued, writing slowly in the dim light from the moon. "I just got done telling off Pig for hooting his crazy head off. It's about midnight as I write." After finishing with those particular sentances, Ron spared a moment to glare once more in Pig's directrion. Pig was moving back and forth on his perch, in some sort of bizarre imitation of a dance step. Not even daring to question his owl, Ron just kept on writing. "Anyways, how is everything with you and the Dursleys? I expect they're treating you alright, after all that with Sirius." Ron couldn't help but smile. Yes, it was sad that Harry was unable to live with his Uncle, however there was a good part. The Dursleys seemed petrified by the fact that Harry had an Uncle whom supposedly killed 13 people with a single curse. Of course, that really wasn't true, as Ron and his friends had learned in their 3rd year of Hogwarts.  
  
Before he could write another sentance, Ron was interrupted. His door creaked open suddenly. Dropping his parchment and pen in suprise, Ron looked over. It was, of all people, Percy. Looking extremely austere, Percy glanced around the room once, and his eyes then locked onto Ron's own suprised eyes. "Up a bit late now, are you?" Asked Percy, as if he was expecting Ron to retort with something somewhat related to 'no.'  
  
"Nah, I'm fast asleep, and I'd say it's best you just leave me alone." Said Ron, rolling his eyes at his older brother. Why did Percy always have to bother him?  
  
"Very funny," Percy replied, lacking a smile that a normal person might have after Ron's curt comment. "Fact is, though, you're not the only one awake. Everyone else is downstairs. Even Ginny. Perhaps you should come and see?" He asked, motioning for Ron to follow. With a look full of extreme criticism, Ron got up from his chair, and followed Percy down several flights of stairs, until they finally reached the living room. A gentle fire was burning in their fire place. Seating around the living room in various chairs and couches was the whole family; at least, those whom still lived here regularly. Fred and George shared the shabby old loveseat. They were sniggering at Ginny, whom was cuddled up against Mr. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley was nowhere to be seen. Looking puzzled, Ron followed Percy over to the large couch, and sat down next to Percy. Glancing around confusedly, Ron looked as though he was wanted to ask about what was going on, but Mr. Weasley raised a hand and stopped him from any questions.  
  
"I'm sure you're all wondering what this is about," Mr. Weasley said softly, his face directed towards his children, though his eyes were focused towards the entrance from the kitchen. "The answer is, we have two American transfer students here to stay with us." Immediatley, excited murmers transferred through all that were in the living room. Fred and George were right away trying to ask, but Mr. Weasley ignored their desperate calls. "I understand that we are already on a tight budget, however they have provided enough money for themselves." Mr. Weasley paused for a moment, patting Ginny on the back. Ginny smiled slightly, and looked up a bit at her father, anxious to hear more. "Now, I'm sure that I don't need to even go over any of the rules. You will treat them with respect. I don't want to hear and tattling, you hear?" All of them nodded their heads. Looking over at his twin brothers, Ron could tell already that through simple eye gestures, Fred and George were plotting something devious to 'welcome' the two new students.  
  
Moments later, Mrs. Weasley stepped in from the kitchen. She wore a nervous, yet happy smile on her plump face. Behind her trailed the two new students. They were female. All the kids were glad for this, especially Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny. The three boys for obvious reasons; who wouldn't want two female guests at their house? And it seemed Ginny was equally pleased, for she would perhaps at last have someone of her own gender to relate to.  
  
The first girl was about 5'9". She had short reddish-brown hair. She wore a black cloak, along with a black spaghetti-strap shirt, and faded flared jeans. This was obviously an American style. She wore a slight grin on her face as she examined everyone in the room, and she nodded to Mr. Weasley as her way of thanks. "Well then, this here is Sandi Wacker." Fred and George did not hesitate to snicker at her odd last name. However, Sandi's eyes were soon rested upon the twins, and when they noted her piercing glare, their laughing stopped abruptly.  
  
Behind Sandi was the second girl. A bit shorter, she was at 5'4". Her hair was brown, and rested slightly above her shoulders. She wore a light blue cloak, as well as a lavendar t-shirt, and some flared jeans. "And this here is Vanessa Wager." Mrs. Weasley smiled, as she made a hand motion to Vanessa. Vanessa glanced around the room eagerly, and her eyes stopped on him. The twins didn't have much to say about Vanessa, as they were still focused on Sandi. Noticing Ginny, Vanessa waved slightly, and Ginny waved in return. Ron seemed indifferent, if not shocked. This was quite unusual.  
  
"I think that does it, then." Mr. Weasley said, sitting up, and leaving Ginny on her own. Sandi and Vanessa stood huddled next to each other, occasionally giggling at their new 'family'. After a moment or two of staring absently at her own family, Mrs. Weasley tapped both the girls lightly on their shoulders.  
  
"Well now, I'll have Ron show you girls to his room." Ron's eyes widened. Why him? Always him! Standing up, and obviously forgetting that he was in his pajamas, Ron pointed a threatening finger at Mrs. Weasley, whom remained smiling kindly.  
  
"Me? ME?! Why do I have to share a room with that lot?" Ron said in an exhasperated sort of way, his eyes darting back and forth between the girls and his parents. Sandi and Vanessa both giggled as they noticed Ron's rather old pajamas. Noticing this as well, Ron's face went redder than it already was, and he sort of took a half-step back in a meek sort of way. Mrs. Weasley's eyes flashed as she grabbed Ron by the arm, and dragged him over to a seperate corner. All the while, Sandi and Vanessa grinned curiously over in their direction. Ron chose to ignore them.  
  
"You listen here, Ronald." Mrs. Weasley hissed, her eyes narrowed like an angry hawk upon Ron, whom was pretending to be interested in an old picture hanging on the wall nearby. "These girls are no Muggles, but they need someone to help them out! Like you, they're soon-to-be 5th years, and I expect they'll be relying on you to help them around for these first few months!" Continued Mrs. Weasley, while Ron just groaned in a tired sort of way. Behind them, Sandi was picking at a spot on her cloak, while Vanessa was lazily watching the burning fireplace. She didn't seem to notice the Floo Powder that lay scattered around the mantle. "Now, I understand that it's your private space, your room. But I'm sure they're mature enough, much more than you surely, to respect that and just leave your things alone." Ron said nothing, though it was obvious he was still not anxious to share a room with those two girls. "I have two cots for them to use, and until then you can just deal with it."  
  
"Gah.. Whatever, Mum. Whatever. I guess I shall be going now, then?" Muttered Ron, with his eyes on Sandi. Mrs. Weasley merely waved her hand as she followed Mr. Weasley into the kitchen. With one final set of snickers, Fred and George waved mischievously to Sandi and Vanessa, and they hurried up the stairs. Percy said nothing as he followed them up the stairs. Ginny smiled kindly at the two girls, and they returned her smiles. Now, Ron approached them, his face still red, and an awkward expression was firmly planted onto his freckled face. "Umm, well then, follow me up to the room, then." Said Ron quietly, and soon enough he was showing the girls up the stairs. Stopping at his door, Ron poked it open slowly. Both Sandi and Vanessa were taken aback at his walls, which were all just about completely covered with orange, moving posters of various Chudley Cannon related things. Ron did manage to grin a bit at their suprised looks. "If you haven't noticed yet, the Chudley Cannons are my favorite team.. Are either of you into Quidditch?" He asked politely as possible, as he sat down on his bed, glad to be away from his bustling living room. After setting their bags down on the cots on the far end of the room, Sandi and Vanessa both nodded.  
  
"I sure do," Sandi said in a tired sort of way, as she stared out the window, looking slightly homesick. "Wimbourne Wasps have always been my favorites. Yanno, how that one creepy Bagman guy used to play." Ron did nothing at the mention of Bagman. He had discovered many nasty things about the ex-Quidditch player, yet he did not feel like telling any of them to these two girls. Now he looked to Vanessa, whom just now seemed to realize she was part of the conversation.  
  
"Oh, uhh.. I umm.. I also like the Chudley Cannons." Vanessa said quickly. Truth to tell, she didn't have a favorite team, but since she was anxious to get on Ron's good side, Vanessa just took his favorite team for her favorite as well. Looking a bit more awake, Ron nodded anxiously. Vanessa looked away.  
  
"Great, then. You know, if you really like them, I have some great trading cards that I-" But he was interupted when Mrs. Weasley's loud yells came through the downstairs area. 'Get to bed now, kids!' Her yells said, and Ron rolled his eyes. "We'll talk in the morning, then?" He asked in a hopefull way, and both girls nodded. "Alright, then. Umm.. Goodnight." Ron said, as he crawled under his covers, turned to face the wall, and closed his eyes. Behind him, where the cots were, he could hear a lot of rustling, quiet giggles, and zippers un-zipping. Great.. Just what Ron wanted to improve his already-foul mood, two girls up all night giggling and talking about him. Turning his head with much effort, Ron peeked at them to see what they were doing. It was'n a moment later that he turned away, because it seemed they were changing in to their pajamas. Face red once more, Ron turned away, and remained like that. Yet, he couldn't help but think.. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all.  
  
  
  
Chapter Two: Emotions  
  
Ron was awakened by the sound of Pigwidgeon's anxious hoots. Turning over, Ron rubbed at his eyes, and tried to figure out what was going on. Vanessa stood in her blue, golden star-and-moon patterned pajamas, poking her finger into Pig's cage. Looking puzzled, Ron quietly sat up. Sandi was not in her cot, but apparently out of the room. Ron didn't bother to ask where she was, instead, he trudged up to Vanessa and he laughed quietly. "Making friends with Pig, are you?" Ron asked in a morning-ish sort of voice, yawning a bit. Nodding, Vanessa pulled her finger out, and she turned to Ron. Her brown eyes seemed unusually moist.  
  
"Pig, is it?" Vanessa asked, turning her head away. "I once had an owl just like him, a little owl as well.. But she passed away.." Not sure what to do, Ron just nodded with a look of slight concern.  
  
"Sorry to hear that." He muttered quietly, staring at a new hole in his yellow socks.  
  
"Yeah.. Her name was Zephyrus. Loved the little thing like a family member." Sighed Vanessa, as she slowly went back to her cot. Ron's eyes followed her the whole way, and it was obvious by the look on his face that he wanted to comfort her, yet he wasn't sure how to.  
  
"So uhh.. Perhaps we should go down to breakfast?" Ron asked, looking longingly at his door. He knew better than anyone that his mom prepared the best breakfast in all of England. However, to his suprise, Vanessa declined with a short shake of her head.  
  
"I don't eat breakfast.. Heh." She replied, her eyes trailing to one particular poster, which depicted a Chaser zooming around on their Nimbus 2001, and then nearly falling off when an oposing Beater nearly collided head-on with them. Tearing her eyes away from the poster, Vanessa looked to Ron. "You can go, though. I'm just fine here." Not hesitating, Ron just nodded and exited his room.  
  
Downstairs, Sandi sat at the table quietly. Sandi was on the right side of the normally crowded table. Outside, Mrs. Weasley could be seen working on the garden. Percy, Ginny, and the twins were no where to be seen. Yawning loudly, Ron stopped at the kitchen entrance. His eyes stopped on Sandi. Grinning slightly, Sandi lazily picked up a spoon from the table, and she pointed it in Ron's general direction. Not sure what to do, Ron sort of smiled nervously, and sat as far away as possible from Sandi. "So, Ron.. See anything creepy last night?" Ron raised an eyebrow at Sandi's question, and he just sort of shrugged, taking her question seriously.  
  
"Yeah, sure. You know, sometimes the ghoul we have in the attack will make a lot of noise, banging around on the pipes and such." He said with an annoyed sort of way. Sandi responded with an expression of mock concern. Apparently, she ended up amused by his tale of the ghoul and pipe banging. Indeed, being from America, sometimes Sandi could be a bit sick-minded. Twisted, at the least. Setting the slightly bent spoon down that she once held, Sandi glanced around the kitchen once or twice, before pointing a finger at Ron accusingly.  
  
"I heard a bunch of raunchy noises last night. From you, I expect. You kept on rolling around in your bed and-" But Sandi stopped when Ron's blank expression became apparent to her. Unlike most boys she was used to, it seemed Ron was not very fond of her sick sense of humor. True, Ron did enjoy a laugh, but he did have a limit. Looking down at her shoes, Sandi whistled quietly to herself. To break the pregnated silence, Vanessa came downstairs quietly, seeming to be afraid that she might wake up someone that was sleeping. Ron seemed to lighten up a bit. Though he didn't prefer one from the other, it did seem that he was a bit more comfortable around Vanessa, mainly because of her lack of hyper activity.  
  
"Good of you to join us." Ron said with a slight wave of his hand. Nodding solemnly, Vanessa took a seat next to Ron, and she leaned back against her seat. Getting up, Ron took a few short steps to the kitchen counter. There, he grabbed a clean bowl from the sink, and stepped over to the stove. From it, he scooped some plain oatmeal into the bowl, and he then went back to the table. Taking his seat back next to Vanessa, Ron grabbed whatever he could - a fork - and he dipped it into the pale mush. Sandi snickered from afar. Vanessa just stared off into the distance, as if she was still a bit down after being reminded of her deceased owl. "Nasty, isn't it?" Asked Ron with a slight grin, as he let the fork go limp from his hand. All three of them watched the fork slowly slide down into the mush, and once it had nearly disappeared, Ron stood up again. He stretched, and then looked back and forth between Sandi and Vanessa. "Well then, what should we do today? I'm sure we could find something.." To be truthful, Ron wasn't exactly excited about spending his day with two odd girls, but then again, it was better than hanging out with Ginny or Percy.  
  
"Got any broomsticks, Ron?" Vanessa asked in a more alive sort of way, glancing around the kitchen, as if expecting a broom or two to be laying around without purpose. Ron's eyes lit up immediatley, and he nodded with enthusiasm. Yes, Ron did have brooms, and it seemed that Vanessa had read his mind, seeing as he had also been wanting to suggest for them to play.  
  
"The only thing is, though, is that I've only got two good ones." Sandi nodded. "They're the Shooting Stars.. Heh.. Slow, but reliable, nonetheless." Ron said, with a touch of rouge to his face. Obviously, those brooms were out of date at least 10 years ago, and now with all the Firebolts flying around, it just made him feel worse. However, Vanessa didn't seem to mind.  
  
About 10 minutes later, the three were atop a hill near the Weasley's house. It had many large poplar trees scattered on it, and that blocked any view from spying Muggles. Setting his two brooms down, Ron glanced back and forth to Vanessa and Sandi. Vanessa stood back a bit, her hands jammed into the pockets of her teal jacket. Sandi stood a bit behind Ron, looking anxiously at the brooms. Finally, after the long moment of uncomfortable silence, Sandi grabbed one of the Shooting Star brooms, and set it on the ground. It had been a while since she had actually rode on one. Placing her right hand over the broom, she stared down at it with a determined look, and declared "Up!"  
  
The broom buzzed softly, and rose into the air. Ron's face errupted into a large grin. Finally, someone that could do it on their first try. Doing the same, he was soon mounted onto his broom, and awaiting Sandi to do the same. Vanessa found a patch of grass on the hill, and sat down on it, since there were no remaining brooms. Now, both Sandi and Ron shot up into the air. Ron was a bit shaky at first, though Sandi did perfectly, without flaw. "You practice a lot, do you?" Ron asked, panting, as he leaned forward on his broomstick in order to catch up. Sandi flashed a mischievous grin in Ron's direction, and she shot straight upwards. Ron followed close behind. "Well?" He insisted, curious to learn a bit more about Sandi.  
  
"Yeah, you know it!" She shouted, dipping up and down in fluid motion. Ron lowered himself a bit, so that he was nearly grazing the short grass that covered the ground. Remaining in her origonal grassy seat, Vanessa smiled softly as she watched Sandi and Ron shoot through the air, aptly wishing that she could join in on the fun. However, she soon was glad that she was not in the air. Sandi was now performing a quite complicated twist. First she did several barrel-rolls, then a complete flip. After that, it was obvious that she was getting dizzy, however she didn't make any attempt at trying to slow down or pause for a moment of rest.  
  
"Careful there, Sandi. We can rest, if you'd like." Called out Ron, but Sandi merely shook her head, before attempting another complicated roll. However, this one didn't work out so well. She had just finished the flip, when the broom jerked grudgingly backwards; Sandi was barely able to try and grab for a tighter grip on the handle, when she instinctively lurched forward. Upon doing so, her balance and grip was completely lost, and within one moment, Sandi had toppled off the broom completely, and with a sickening thud, she landed on the ground. Immediatley, Vanessa got up and scrambled towards her motionless friend. With wide eyes, Ron shot towards the ground. Several feet in the air still, he jumped off his broom clumsily, and nearly tripped over his own feet. His broom continued to float along for a bit, until it landed near Vanessa's old spot.  
  
Vanessa was kneeled down next to Sandi, gently trying to shake her into conciousness. However, Sandi seemed to be in somewhat of a deep sleep. Looking to be sick, Ron glanced around several times helplessly, before letting out a soft groan and looking to Vanessa. "Guess we had better take her home.. C'mon, help me carry her." Said Ron shortly, grabbing one of Sandi's arms, and heaving her up. Vanessa did the same.  
  
The walk back to the Burrow seemed a lot longer than it really was. There was no one inside the Burrow, from what they could tell. With much effort, Vanessa and Ron managed to drag Sandi up into Ron's room. Once in there, they set her on his bed, and they then slumped down onto the floor at the same time. Taking a moment or two of silence, they both caught their breath. Their eyes then met each other at the same time. Momentarily, Vanessa's eyes flashed with worry, but that seemed to cease when she took notice of the fact that Ron was feeling just the same. Realizing that they both had the same thoughts on their mind, Ron sort of scratched the back of his neck nervously, and then he looked up at his bed, where Sandi lay lifelessly. "Oy.. I hope she'll come awake soon. I don't think she broke anything, just a bit of a shock to her body, I'd say." Ron said in a tone that wasn't so convincing, yet Vanessa nodded agreeingly anyhow.  
  
"Listen, I'll take care of her. You should try and find my Mum, alright?" Ron said in a tired tone to Vanessa. Not wanting to argue with Ron, Vanessa got up silently and left his room. As soon as Vanessa had left, Ron got up, and sat down on his bed gently. He then grabbed a semi- wet washcloth they had acquired previously, and dabbed at Sandi's head carefully. This wasn't something he did every day, and Ron wasn't sure if he was going to come out as stupid or not by doing this. However, it did seem to work. Moments later, Sandi's eyes fluttered open, and they seemed to stare listlessly at the ceiling. Noting this, Ron gently poked Sandi in the shoulder, and he leaned towards her ear. "You going to be alright?"  
  
Sandi just closed her eyes. There was a good reason, as well. Vanessa had re-entered Ron's room, and she sort of just stood there, staring at Ron and Sandi. Feeling that there was no need for apoligy or any other of those sorts of things, Ron got up from his bed, and peeked over Vanessa's shoulder. Mrs. Weasley was not to be seen. "I couldn't find your mom." Vanessa said shortly, before traveling over to her cot, and just sitting there. Sandi sat up slowly, though she was extremely pale just the same.  
  
"Urgh.. I don't feel so good.. I'll be back, you guys." Getting up, Sandi hobbled out of the room, apparently heading towards the bathroom. For a second or two, Ron's eyes remained transfixed on the door, where Sandi had exited. He then glanced over at Vanessa. She was still sitting as she had been, muttering very softly to herself. Sighing internally, Ron got up, and sat down on the oposing cot that belonged to Sandi. Vanessa's brown eyes traveled elsewhere as Ron's eyes studied her.  
  
"Jealous, aren't you? You're jealous.." Ron said softly, raising a brow. He wasn't a child any longer. Nearly 15 now, Ron knew better than to play 'stupid' with a girl. Though he had never really had a relationship with one - at least, seriously - Ron knew when something was up. And indeed, something was up with Vanessa. In retort to Ron's words, Vanessa shook her head irritably, and just stared at the ground. "You know, if that is the case.." Ron continued slowly, thinking of what to say as he spit out the words.  
  
Vanessa looked up, but her face held no emotions whatsoever. "Jealousy is no longer in my vocabulary. I am so often surpassed by other people; their looks, accomplishments, and what have you, that it's just a daily routine any more. I'm used to it. Got it?" Vanessa snapped, not meaning to sound so harsh. Immediatly, she looked away from Ron, fearing that he would get angry and storm out of the room in response. However, it made her look back when Ron issued a depressed sort of sigh.  
  
"No.. No.. I understand exactly. You can't imagine how it is, living in Harry Potter's shadow." Vanessa's mouth twitched. She wanted to frown in a pitying sort of way, however she also wanted to hear more before showing too much emotion. "And as an added bonus, I have all my brothers to live up to. Bill being an old Head Boy at Hogwarts. Charlie being so smart and responsible. Percy as another Head Boy, not to mention amazingly perfect. Fred and George are about the funniest lot you'll see in your life. And me? Plain old Ronald Weasley? Nothing special." Ron said, looking as though he was ready to burst and just spill out every single emotion he had held inside for the past years.  
  
"Special is such a simple word, you know.." Said Vanessa slowly, her eyes planted on the window once more. "Just from what I know about you, I would have never imagined you being plain. To me, it seems you have a great sense of humor, and there's a lot about you that I'd like to learn, as well." Now this was something Ron wasn't used to. Never before had a friend, especially a girl, spoken to him in such a manner. Was this actually concern that Vanessa was showing for him? Concern that did not in any way show a trace of mock or scepticism?  
  
"I come from just about the most poor family all around. Rubbish, all of it. To tell the truth, besides a few friends and supposed special items, I have nothing.." Vanessa cleared her throat when she heard Sandi's approaching footsteps, and Ron stopped, suddenly washed over with a feeling of immense stupidity.  
  
"Save it for a later time, and there will be one." Vanessa said, her mouth still between a smile of fondness, and a frown of sadness. Nodding in an understanding sort of way, Ron stood up, and returned to the bed.  
  
Chapter Three: The Twins  
  
Sandi stared at the ceiling boredly as the hour approached 12:00 AM. Hours had passed since her accident on the broom, and she was now feeling much better. However, since it was late in the night and it seemed they were restricted to Ron's room, there wasn't a whole lot to do. Ron was sitting on his bed, continuing with the letter he had been writing to Harry several nights before. Vanessa was sitting near her cot, facing the window still, though her eyes occasionally would trail over to Ron. With a sigh, Sandi grunted, and rolled over. "Dude, this is so boring." She growled, hiding her face in her pillow, and not moving and more. Vanessa raised a brow, but didn't move much. Ron set his quill and parchment aside, and stared at Pig's cage curiously.  
  
"I guess I'll be going to bed as well. Night, girls." Ron said softly. He was already in his pajamas. It seemed he was a lot more comfortable around the two than he had been previously. Upon turning out the lights, Ron pulled the covers over his head, and remained motionless. Yet, Vanessa was still where she had been. With a sigh, she closed her eyes, and slowly slumped down into her cot. Apparently, she wasn't going to make an effort to change into her pajamas.  
  
"Goodnight, Ron.." She said in a whisper, yet no one else was able to hear it. For about a half hour, there was silence. Then, suddenly, Sandi sat up cautiously, and she crawled over to Ron's bed. With only her eyes peering over the side of the bed, she extended her arm, and lazily prodded the back of Ron's head. His eyes opened in a flash, and they stared at Sandi with a look of slight annoyance.  
  
"What is it?" Hissed his voice, which suggested that he wasn't really in the mood to talk.  
  
"I'm bored." Sandi replied shortly, tapping her finger on Ron's bedspread. There was silence as Vanessa rolled over onto her side.  
  
"Yes, and it's late, Sandi." Yawned Ron, closing his eyes and hoping that she would be able to find her way to dream land without his assistance.  
  
"You're coming with me." Ordered Sandi in a final sort of way. With that, she grabbed Ron's arm, and began to pull him out of bed. Before he could really react, Ron found himself falling off his bed with a muffled thump. Up in the attic, the ghoul began to howl his head off. A soft hoot was issued from Pig's cage. Rubbing his forehead, Ron chuckled softly, and then stood up. Slipping on his socks, Ron finally nodded to Sandi.  
  
"Alright, but not for long. Where do you think we'll be going?" He asked with a curious tone, as Sandi pulled on her jacket. Sandi didn't answer. Everything was silent as the two traveled down the stairs, with Ron assuming that they were going to go for a midnight stroll. However, it seemed that their plan was interupted, when they came face-to-face with both Fred and George. Immediatley, two impish grins broke out onto the faces of the twins. Ron merely groaned.  
  
"Ah, young Ronald, innocent and care-free. You must be searching for Mum, so she can read you a bed time story about rainbows and pixies?" Sniggered George, while Fred cackled behind him. Though Sandi found this amazingly amusing, Ron just rolled his eyes and waved his hand impatiently.  
  
"So funny, but really now, I need to get through." As it was, Ron and Sandi were just a step or two away from getting to the living room. However, George didn't move from his spot.  
  
"Exactly where are you two going?" Fred asked, a grin still visible, though his eyes narrowed slightly, in an odd imitation of Mrs. Weasley trying to punish one of her children. In response, Sandi just passed by Ron, and slid under George's outstretched arm. Now standing in the living room, she pointed towards the door.  
  
"Nothing more than a walk. That okay with you guys?" Sandi asked with a tone that lacked any sort of humor. George moved himself so that Ron could join Sandi, and soon enough he had done just that. Fred rubbed his chin with a look of mock-pensiveness, and he just shrugged.  
  
"Yeah, if you say so. Could we come along?" Fred asked, stretching and yawning in a bored sort of way. "After all, we know of all the good places to go at night. There aren't many, but of those that exist, you can bet that we'll know of them." Fred continued, while George nodded agreeingly in the background. Assuming that the two redheads were just trying to impress her, Sandi snickered.  
  
"I'm so sure. You guys don't look that cool, really. Why would you have any knowledge whatsoever about sneaking out, anyway?" Ron gave Sandi a suprised look.  
  
"Heh, you'd be suprised about Fred and George. They know a lot of things most people don't.. At least, as far as passages and sneaking around goes." Ron said with a proud smile, thinking right away of Harry's Marauder's Map that they had presented him during their 3rd year.  
  
"So let's go, then!" Sandi said in an aggitated sort of way. Fred and George rolled their eyes, and opened the door, allowing Ron and Sandi to exit. After the two had did so, Fred and George followed in the same manner. Once outside, they all looked at each other. Ron shivered a bit, and he crossed his arms. Sandi just stared anxiously around them, wanting to start moving as soon as possible.  
  
And so, the twins took charge. They just walked forth together, and with one or two glances at each other, Ron and Sandi did the same. For a while, the four walked in complete silence. Ron was petrified of getting caught, however, Fred, George, and even Sandi had some experience on sneaking out, so it wasn't that much of a deal for them. After hitting their 15 minute walking point, they stopped momentarily. Ron looked back at the house longingly. "Brilliant idea guys, so what exactly is the point? I mean, what are you guys planning on doing?"  
  
Sandi stopped in her tracks, and she glared at Ron in an annoyed sort of way. "Shut up already. The whole thrill of sneaking out is to just stand around. Anyway, I doubt anyone around here has anything of interest.." The twins and Ron all gave each other questioning looks. Whatever it was that Sandi considered interesting, though, they did not find out. What captured their attention instead was something in the shadows.  
  
Red, glowing eyes stared at the four, and something grey and furry reached out at them. With not a moment to spare, they all opened their mouths as if to scream, and they ran. The group did not stop until they reached the Burrow's door. Panting, they all leaned against the wall, staring anxiously back at where they had traveled. "Bloody hell, what was that?!" Exclaimed Fred, while George's eyes seemed to scream the same as George's words. Shaking her head, Sandi coughed into her hands, and attempted to open the door. It wouldn't budge. Right away, Ron cursed under his breath, and gave an angry kick at the ground.  
  
"Perfect, now we're locked out." He then looked to Fred and George. Their eyes were locked onto the entrance. Looking there, Ron realized why. Mr. Weasley was standing there, looking extremely miffed at all four of them.  
  
"It seems you need a bit of help getting inside. Let me welcome you in." Said Mr. Weasley in a curt tone, beckoning them in with an austere expression. Heads sagging slightly, all four slowly trudged in. Fred and George whispered to each other, while Sandi and Ron traded terrified expressions. "Explain yourselves." Mr. Weasley said softly, with disappointment lingering in his eyes.  
  
"Umm.. We were just out walking." Sandi said quickly. Catching on, all the others nodded. Mr. Weasley ignored this, and looked around momentarily.  
  
"Where's Vanessa?" He said, thinking that she had gone with as well. Ron sighed, and nodded towards the staircase.  
  
"She's smart and didn't come.. Well.. Truth to tell, we realyl didn't invite her."  
  
"I see," Mr. Weasley said in a murderous tone. First, he grabbed Fred and George by their ears. The twins sort of squirmed helplessly, and then they shot Sandi two outgoing grins. "You two will be staying down here. Sandi, you may sleep on the couch tonight. Ronald, back to your room. I'm highly disappointed in your behaviors, however, we'll deal with it more in the morning. Goodnight." With that, he turned to direct Fred and George to their spot in the kitchen. Looking moody, Sandi flopped down onto the couch, and didn't say another word.  
  
Once upstairs, Ron flipped on his lights. Vanessa's body twitched once or twice, and then she turned over to face Ron. Shielding her eyes with her left hand, Vanessa rubbed her forehead with her right hand, and gave him a searching look. "Where's Sandi?" She asked drowzily. Ron flipped off the light, and sat down on the floor.  
  
"I'll explain.. In the morning." He said, yawning inbetween. Looking confused, Vanessa nodded slowly, and lay her head back down on her cot. She was definately longing to ask Ron what had happened, but she decided against it. For now, it was just best to go to sleep.  
  
Chapter Four: Attics and Ghouls  
  
Vanessa woke up to see Ron laying awake, staring at her. Blinking once or twice, she stared back. Shaking his head, Ron looked away. Wondering what was up, Vanessa slowly sat up, and continued to stare in Ron's direction. A moment or two later, he looked back. "Yes?" Vanessa said in a tired sort of way.  
  
"I was just.." Ron said with a slight roll of his eyes. Offended by his seeming lack of friendliness, Vanessa nodded shortly and turned away. "..Noticing how.. How.." Looking back at Ron once more, Vanessa stared in silence, wondering if this was going to be an insult about her, as usual. However, Ron smiled slightly, gathered up what little courage he had at the moment, and started to finish his sentance. "..P-pretty y-" Unfortunately, he wasn't able to finish, because from up above, the ghoul began to bang on the pipes and make a load of noise. Sighing annoyedly, Ron shook his head. "Never mind."  
  
"Please tell me.." Vanessa said nervously, with a feeling inside that she was going to sound stupid.  
  
"You look pretty when you're so peaceful." Ron suddenly spit out, and in response, Vanessa's mouth twitched, trying hard not to smile since she was so happy. "I mean, not that you aren't pretty when you aren't sleeping.." Ron said quickly, adding one of his signature smiles. For a moment, there was silence between the two as their minds raced, and then Vanessa got up, and she traveled over to where Ron said on the ground. Sitting down next to him, she stared back at her cot, though her eyes trailed onto Ron.  
  
"That was a sweet thing to say.." She said softly, now pretending that the lint on the carpet was very interesting. Nodding, Ron faced Vanessa completely.  
  
"Don't take offense, but I always did like you since the first time I saw." Vanessa's eyes widened for a split second and they flitted over towards Ron's eyes, but then the next moment they were back on the carpet.  
  
"Just like?" She asked, now looking at him fully. Ron gulped quietly. Obviously, this was the first time in his life that a conversation like this had come up.  
  
"If you want it to be." He said sortly. Glancing around as if thinking hard, Vanessa shook her head once.  
  
"No." She said quickly.  
  
"Then it won't be just that."  
  
That's all for now. I'll be sure to post the continuing chapters as soon as possible. 


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